Williams sisters fall at French Open

No American women make fourth round for the first time in Open history

STEVEN WINEThe Associated Press

Published Saturday, May 31, 2008

PARIS -- With twilight descending, Venus Williams helplessly watched one final shot land out of reach, ending a bad day for her family -- and for U.S. tennis.

Williams and sister Serena were eliminated in third-round matches Friday at the French Open. Serena lost to Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-4, and more than eight hours later Venus was beaten by Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3.

The double defeats meant that for the first time in the Open era, there will be no American woman in the fourth round at Roland Garros. The only U.S. player left is Robby Ginepri on the men's side.

Winners of 14 Grand Slam titles, the Williams sisters lost to two tour veterans who have never reached a major quarterfinal.

"It wasn't a good day for our family," Venus said. "But we always learn and get more determined after a loss. We'll just come back harder."

For Serena, missed opportunities came in a flurry. She shanked overheads, hit wild volleys and squandered six break points.

But Venus never really gave herself a chance, losing serve six times and committing 29 unforced errors as Pennetta repeatedly bested her in long rallies.

"I was a little inconsistent," Venus said. "I was pretty upset about losing the first set, and didn't stay focused on the big picture, and let it get away from me."

To beat the older Williams, Pennetta had to beat darkness, and she closed out the victory with a forehand winner at 9:47 p.m. Seeded 26th, Pennetta advanced to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time.

Serena's hasty exit matched her earliest in nine visits to Roland Garros and guarantees a first-time women's champion. Williams, who won the French Open in 2002, was the lone former champion to enter the draw.

"I missed a lot of easy shots and a lot of key points that I felt like could have turned the match around," a subdued Serena said. "I wasn't able to capitalize."

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova and No. 2 Ana Ivanovic advanced. In the completion of a second-round match halted in the second set Thursday because of darkness, Sharapova beat American Bethanie Mattek 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Ivanovic reached the fourth round by beating 17-year-old Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-1.

No. 3 Jelena Jankovic was leading No. 28 Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 4-2 when darkness forced their match to be suspended.

Serena Williams, who played the day's first match on Court Suzanne Lenglen, converted only one of seven break-point chances and was 0-for-5 in the second set.

She repeatedly set up points but failed to finish them, losing 14 of 21 at the net.

"There are a lot of things I would try to do different, but you can't rewind time," said Williams, who also lost in the third round at Roland Garros in 1999.

Her mother and coach, Oracene Price, said Williams has "been in a funk. It's not like her. She wasn't herself."

Srebotnik, seeded No. 27, earned the biggest victory of her career.

She has only one win over a player ranked higher than the No. 5-ranked Williams, beating No. 4 Amelie Mauresmo at Zurich in 2005.

Serena didn't play like a top player. In the final game of the first set, she dumped an easy overhead into the net. Four points later, she worked her way forward but blew a volley, then bent over in dismay and pressed her forehead against the tip of her racket handle.

Another botched overhead cost her in the sixth game of the second set, helping Srebotnik to reach 3-3.

"I wasn't nervous," Williams said. "She was getting a lot of balls back, and I might have let that get into my head. She was just making some shots I don't think she's ever made before, or she probably would be in the top two."

When Williams fell behind she turned up the volume, grunting with almost every shot and screaming in celebration when she hit a winner. But she was unable to rally, and her 27-year-old opponent kept her cool down the stretch.

"Today I woke up and it was just another opportunity," Srebotnik said.

Srebotnik and Pennetta credited similar tactics for the upsets, mixing the pace and placement of ground strokes to keep the sisters off balance.

Williams sat dejected at her postmatch news conference, explaining her demeanor by saying, "I just don't want to be here."